


Arms

by ttfan111robstar1



Series: Daddy's Little Girl [1]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: Accidents, Age Regression/De-Aging, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Buffy is sweet, Canonical Character Death, Crying, Daddy!Giles, Diapers, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Giles is a great Dad, Grief/Mourning, Little Girl!Buffy, Mental Breakdown, Non-Sexual Age Play, Pacifiers, Platonic Cuddling, Singing, Spoilers for The Body
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:54:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26704822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ttfan111robstar1/pseuds/ttfan111robstar1
Summary: An alternate take on "The Body". Check the tags.The arms of her mother would no longer be there to guide her, but another pair of arms were still there to hold her while she cried.
Relationships: Buffy Summers & Dawn Summers, Buffy Summers & Joyce Summers, Rupert Giles & Buffy Summers
Series: Daddy's Little Girl [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1959943
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	Arms

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PrinceOfHell00](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrinceOfHell00/gifts).



> Hey Everyone! Thanks for dropping by to read this fic! It's my first fic for Buffy and I'm really excited to be posting this take on "The Body" with a little twist. I noticed there weren't really any Age-Re fics in the Buffyverse of regression by choice, so I wanted to remedy that with this sweet and sad little fic. Plus I adore Buffy and Giles. They've got the best relationship on the show!
> 
> If you like it, or want sequels, let me know and leave a comment and kudos! 
> 
> Sam, this story is for you. Thanks for being there every step of the way.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy it!

_She’s gone. They’re coming to take her.  
  
_The thoughts came through her head, passing through like a breeze, but never truly sinking in.  
  
“Buffy!” The shout resounded through the empty house.  
  
Buffy Summers turned her head to see Giles standing in the doorway, panting.  
  
“What is it? Is it Glory?”  
  
She stood up, still dazed, and not processing what had happened. “I’m waiting. The, the coroner's coming.”  
  
“What?” Giles asked, taking a few steps forward.  
  
Not taking in his confusion, she continued on. “I have to tell Dawn. She's at school.” She looked up. “I’ll go there.”  
  
Giles looked at her, both confused and concerned. “I'm not sure…” Giles looked into the living room and, she knew what he was seeing. “Oh god.” He murmured, and ran into the next room, rushing toward her mother.  
  
“No. No. Don't. No, it's too late.” Buffy mumbled, forcing herself to move forward.  
  
“Joyce?!” She heard him call her, and rushed forward as best she could.  
  
“They're, they're coming for her, no, no, we’re-“ She paused when she rounded the corner and saw Giles shaking her, and it spurred her to yell.  
  
“Joyce!” He cried out.  
  
“We're not supposed to move the body!” She yelled, surprising herself, and felt the tears sting at her eyes as she put a hand over her mouth as the horrific realization of what she’d just said washed over her.

Giles looked at her, and saw the realization hit, and knew what would be coming next.  
  
From the near beginning of their time together as watcher and slayer, Rupert Giles had loved and adored Buffy as a daughter, and the feeling seemed to be reciprocated. The two of them had built a relationship on mutual trust together. Between the two of them, there were seldom any secrets- so much so that it was rare for Giles to stumble upon something he didn’t know about her. So when he’d come by one day a year ago while Dawn and Joyce had been out to tell her about something he’d found relating to a case, he hadn’t expected anything abnormal for them. Demons, witchcraft, vampires, and other supernatural creatures were simply a part of their repertoire by now, and he knew Buffy could stand up to them all easily, so he didn’t worry for her safety.  
  
When he walked into her room to find her asleep, sucking her thumb and cuddling an old doll, he did, however, fear for her sanity.  
  
The thought reversed itself in the next few seconds as several things clicked into place. With all of the pressure Buffy was under, not just as a high schooler but as a slayer, she was bound to want a break from it all. Even before becoming the slayer, Buffy had been greatly responsible for Dawn- And since Dawn had come into Buffy’s life when she was a very young child, the only time when she was without responsibility was before Dawn was born. In all of the darkness she saw in the world, she had to find peace somewhere.  
  
In the seconds it took for him to come to this conclusion, Buffy had snapped awake. After initially believing there was danger but realizing that it was only Giles- and then subsequently realizing what Giles had _seen_ \- she sat in front of him, wide eyed and unsure of what to say about it. Not even her mother and Dawn knew about this, and she hadn’t wanted to tell Giles about what she did in her private life. But now it was out there for the world to see, and she’d never felt as naked as she did right then. She simply sat, awaiting her judgement, whatever it might have been.

However, Giles did not laugh, nor did he make a witty comment as she might have expected him to at finding her this way. Instead, he simply wrapped his arms around her and embraced her. He smelled of old books and Bleu de Chanel cologne- something she’d never really noticed until that moment, because her awareness wasn’t pulled in any other direction. She’d been surprised, but certainly not opposed to the affection. The two of them held to one another for a long time.

From there, Buffy had told him everything, and had braced for the Englishman’s judgement of her little coping skill, but it never came. Instead, he told her that he understood, that he didn’t think any less of her, and that if she ever needed anything, she could always talk to him. It hadn’t taken long after that for Giles to assume a caregiving role with his young charge, eventually progressing into a kind of bonding time for just the two of them. It had been so long since Buffy had allowed any man to take care of her in such a way since before her parents divorced. But she trusted Giles, and he never once failed to make her feel genuinely loved and accepted for who she was. He was everything her father should have been, and so much more. He had earned his given title of “Daddy” during their bonding times together.  
  
And now, in the instance where her childhood was seemingly ripped away from her, she needed Daddy more than ever.  
  
As soon as Giles had her in his arms, she allowed herself to slip into the headspace that she had barely been able to keep at bay in the fight to save her mother. Now, she was able to let the barrier down, and whimpered softly. With a rush of adrenaline over what would happen, Giles picked her up without ceremony and quickly used his foot to shut the front door so that his charge could have a breakdown in private. Mere moments after the door was shut, she began to sob. Giles just bobbed and weaved through the house with her, avoiding the room with Joyce’s body, trying to provide what little comfort he could. He knew she had to get this out of her system, but it still twisted something deep inside to hear his usually overly confident charge shriek and sob for “Mommy”. As much as he wanted to grieve for the loss of a dear friend alongside her, it would have to wait until later. Buffy needed him now. And he would not- _could not_ \- let her down.

It took a long while, but finally, it seemed as though his little girl had run out of tears. Her body sagged against him in total emotional and physical exhaustion, but she still managed to cling to him like a limpet. Giles made his way up to her room afterwards, and opened up her closet doors, until he found the box in the back that held most of her little girl items. Pulling out the pink pacifier, he gently slipped it into her mouth, where she nursed it easily, seemingly dazed from her bout of crying and the circumstances around it. 

As Buffy struggled to process what had happened, Giles was trying to figure out what should happen next. Buffy was in no state to do anything right now. So he would have to talk with the coroner’s office when they came. He knew that Buffy should be the one to tell Dawn but theoretically that might end up falling on his shoulders if she couldn’t manage to pull herself out of her headspace. He knew, though, that Dawn had found out about this a few months ago. When Dawn found out she was the key, Buffy had confided in her about her little self, in hopes of making her realize that she wasn’t as much of an outsider in their family as she felt. And though Dawn hadn’t totally understood her reasoning, she had accepted her. That, at least, would explain some of it. But for now, he had to act.

“Poppet?” He asked gently. Slowly, Buffy looked up at him. “Daddy’s got your cuppy in his car. How about Daddy brings you your cuppy full of water and after a drink you have a little nap?”  
  
Buffy seemed to consider this. Then, she spoke. “Daddy lay down wi’ me?”

“Daddy will lay down with you until you fall asleep. While you sleep, Daddy will take care of some grown up things, but I’ll be there when you wake up.” He said.  
  
After a moment, Buffy nodded. Giles pulled her favorite doll from the box and handed it to her, and she hugged it tightly to her chest. Then, he gently set her on her bed.  
  
“Can you be a big girl for me and wait for Daddy to come back with your cuppy?”  
  
Buffy held her doll tighter, and nodded. Giles planted a kiss on her forehead in thanks.  
  
“That’s my girl. Daddy will be right back.” He promised, and then hurried downstairs, flinging open the front door and opening the trunk of his car. Underneath a layer of books and a few weapons he had on hand just in case Buffy were to need them was a pink princess sippy cup, along with a few of Buffy’s other little girl items, just in case she needed them when she wasn’t at home. Hurriedly, he closed the trunk, and then rushed back inside, closing the front door before he went to fill it with cold water. Once it was filled, he twisted the lid on and rushed back to Buffy.  
  
The sight he arrived to was far more heartbreaking than he wanted to admit. Curled up in the fetal position, she clutched her doll to her, petting it’s fake hair, and staring vacantly into the distance, eyes glassy from crying. Ignoring how the sight pained him, he went into the room.  
  
“Here you are, poppet.” He said gently, sitting on the bed with her. Seeing Giles, she crawled into his lap from her place on the bed, her doll dangling from one hand, as she removed the pacifier from her mouth and accepted the sippy cup in it’s place.  
  
Giles wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him as she nursed the cup of water, and couldn’t help wondering how they’d ended up where they were right now. Out of all the demons, monsters, and villains they’d faced, nothing was so frightening as this. A loss one could do nothing about was possibly the worst fear of every person. But in Buffy’s case, perhaps it was worse. Because she knew of the black magic that existed that could potentially bring back her mother, but knew that the consequences would be so extreme that she didn’t dare use it. Having the ability to get what she most needed, but not being able to because of the principle was likely worse than being able to do nothing.  
  
When her cup was drained, Giles placed it on the nearby nightstand and slipped her pacifier back into her mouth.  
  
“Ready for a nap, pet?” He asked gently.  
  
Buffy twisted her free hand into Giles’ shirt, seemingly worried about something. After a moment, she looked up at him. “Daddy?”  
  
“Yes, Lovey?”  
  
“Wha’s gonna happ’n to me n’ Dawnie?”  
  
Giles thought about it for a moment, then spoke. “Well, you’re big enough to be able to keep Dawn with you, and we’ll figure out the rest together. But whatever happens, you won’t deal with it alone.” He promised.  
  
After a few moments, Buffy nodded.  
  
“Now, how about a nap, little one?”  
  
Buffy nodded, exhausted from crying, and needing a break from it all.  
  
“Alright then.” He said gently, and helped her stand up so that he could pull the covers back to tuck her in. She climbed in, and he moved to the other side, laying next to her, hoping that his presence comforted her.  
  
It seemed to work, because within mere minutes, she fell asleep. When he was certain he wouldn’t wake her if he moved, he carefully got up from the bed and went downstairs to wait for the coroner and come up with a plan in case Buffy couldn’t manage to tell Dawn herself. He’d barely had any time to think about it before the coroner bustled in, coming to take Joyce away. He’d explained the situation as best he could to the coroner who had been exceedingly understanding about Buffy being unable to come down herself. He made mental notes of what the coroner to tell Buffy when she was ready, and signed his name on a form that he didn’t really take the time to read.  
  
He watched, numb, as they zipped Joyce up in a body bag and carted her away. It was odd to think about how fleeting life was in a profession where he was responsible for someone who was tasked with ending it, and yet the thought remained. He supposed the curse of his profession, and in Buffy’s as well, was being so overtly concerned with the supernatural ways one could die that they almost never considered natural causes as a way to die. It was a reminder, albeit a horrific one, that the thread of life could easily be cut in the fate’s loom at any time.  
  
For the first time, he went into the living room, and sat down on the cushion furthest from where Joyce had lain. He hadn’t realized until that moment that room smelled sweet- sickly sweet. The stench of death, usually only found in hospitals and retirement homes, now permeated the room. It felt as though the universe had decided to turn itself inside out.  
  
After a moment of contemplating that, he attempted to refocus himself. He looked at his watch. There was still time before Dawn got out of school. If necessary, he could wake Buffy so that they could go together to tell her. He wished he could have gone with Joyce, but he knew Buffy needed him more. He thought about calling Willow, to tell her. He knew it was important that he did. He thought it was better to wait for Buffy to wake and see what her mental state was like. If she woke up in her usual headspace, it wouldn’t be an issue. But if she was little… He’d leave it in her hands.  
  
Now that he had somewhat of a plan, he felt a little better. It only took a few seconds after that for the feeling to be replaced with an overwhelming sense of loneliness. With Buffy asleep upstairs, there was nothing to distract him from his own grief. The one damnable mistake he’d made. Memories with Joyce, both of their professional time together helping Buffy and the unfortunate incident with the Band Candy that led to a more romantic relationship, flashed through his mind, strokes of lightning in a dark sky. They intermingled with his sorrow for Buffy, and he found his eyes welling up with tears. He removed his glasses, and took a handkerchief from his pocket, dabbing at his eyes with it as he mourned the loss of not only the woman who had given birth to the girl he loved as a daughter, but his friend.  
  
Time seemed to stretch endlessly as he allowed himself a moment to grieve. It felt as though he’d been sitting there for hours. But when he glanced at his watch, he saw it had only been twenty minutes. How was that possible? Time could stretch itself out or pass by in the blink of an eye, and yet somehow during his time mourning, it seemed to not move at all. It had- judging by the way the sun had moved the shadows in the room slightly, but somehow it didn’t feel real.

As Giles found himself lost in the sea of time, Buffy found her dreams filled with memories. The day that led her to try this had popped into her mind, and she relived it, chained to her mind’s whims, whether she liked it or not.  
  
_The day had been terrible. After constant arguments with her mother and Dawn, and an exhausting previous evening of slaying that had gotten Willow and Xander both cut, earning her a lecture from Giles about keeping on her guard, she’d just wanted to go to bed. In the evening hours, she’d trudged up the stairs, struggling to make it one step more. When her bed finally came into her purview, she sighed with relief, shutting her door behind her and threw her bag onto the floor before she flopped down onto the bed and hugged her pillow to herself. Finally, she could have a little comfort after a bad day.  
  
_I wish I didn’t have to be so responsible all the time…  
  
_From the day of her sister’s birth, she’d been saddled with enormous responsibility, and alongside being a slayer and a high school student, it was almost too much to bear. She knew it was selfish to want a break from all of that, but she couldn’t help it. Nobody could carry the world on their shoulders without putting it down sometimes.  
  
She tried to remember the last time she’d felt so weightless, and her mind brought her back to a few days before Dawn had been born. Her mother had read her a story about a princess, and her father had held her in her lap. She’d asked them if she’d always be their little princess, and her mother had assured her she always would. She’d popped her thumb into her mouth and snuggled against her mother, reassured that everything would be just fine.  
  
When was the last time she had felt that safe and cared for? She couldn’t remember. Even before becoming the slayer, she’d had to deal with Dawn getting all of her mother’s positive attention for a long time, just because she’d been younger. She’d pretended like it hadn’t bothered her, but in truth it had. She loved her sister, but Dawn had been a born attention seeker. And sometimes she felt that just because Dawn was younger, she automatically gained her mother’s positive attention and love. Especially since their father had left.  
  
Did her mother really forget how it was before Dawn was born? Where she’d earn praise just by existing? After Dawn had been born she’d suddenly had to earn her praise and positive attention, rather than just getting it. She didn’t resent her sister for it, but she did resent her mother for it.  
  
_I wish I could be younger…  
  
_She could recall playing “Power Girl” with her cousin Celia, and enjoying her dolls as a little girl. It was a carefree time, before all the responsibilities of the world had come to weigh on her conscience. She would have done anything to get them back.  
  
Before she realized what she was doing, she slipped her thumb into her mouth and began to suckle on it. When the realization of what she was doing hit her, she almost tried to stop herself, before she realized she didn’t want to. It was the youngest she’d felt in a long time, and was the closest she could get to not having a care in the world.  
  
It was the moment her little self had been born.  
  
Slowly, over a period of time, she figured out a place to hide things she wanted to try, and put them all in a box in the back of her closet. A pacifier, sippy cup, a pink blanket, some outfits, and accessories for her hair were all there for her comfort and pleasure. She found times when her family members were out and she didn’t have to slay to indulge herself. The only thing missing was someone to take care of her.  
  
And that wish was fulfilled the day Giles came to see her. They’d stared at one each other after she’d woken up, in a moment suspended in time. And she’d been both surprised and relieved when he’d wrapped her in a hug. She’d never forget what he’d said to her.  
  
“No matter who you are, or who you want to be, Buffy, I’ll always be proud of you. My opinion of you will never lessen, nor will my view of you be damaged. Because I know who you are, and It’s a privilege to know you. And if this is a piece of who you are, then I’m happy to know it, and I’ll be happy to keep your secret. I’ll always be here if you need me.”  
  
That had been the day it had all began. Giles earning his Daddy title hadn’t happened until a few months after, but it hadn’t been a surprise to either of them. What had been a surprise to her, though, was that she’d been able to keep this from her mother.  
  
She recalled asking Giles about it once.  
  
“Do you think Mommy wouldn’t like me anymore if she found out about me?” She’d asked him one day as he’d tucked her in for a nap.  
  
Giles didn’t even have to question that. “Your mother accepted you as a slayer. If she can see past that, then I don’t think you have anything to worry about. It’s alright to want to take a break from the world, Poppet.” He’d promised, giving her a kiss.  
  
She’d smiled. “Maybe Mommy will like me…” She’d said, before she’d fallen asleep cuddling her doll._

But just as soon as that memory finished, the dream shifted.  
  
_Buffy sat in her room, playing with her beloved doll Laura and nursing her pacifier_ , _when her door opened, and her mother walked in.  
  
Her mind scrambled desperately, trying to find words to explain what was happening. She would have spat out her pacifier, but it was the only source of comfort she had at the moment, and she was certain that if it was gone, she’d burst into tears.  
  
Mother and daughter stared at each other for a long moment, not saying a word. Finally, when Buffy found her voice, she took her pacifier out.  
  
“Mom, I-“  
  
“What are you doing?” Joyce asked her, staring right at her.  
  
“I… I was-“  
  
All of a sudden, Laura was snatched from her hands.  
  
“You know this is your sister’s favorite doll. Why did you take it from her shelf?"  
  
“I didn’t, hers is still there! That’s mine!”  
  
“Buffy, you took Dawn’s paint set last week because the two of you got in a fight, do you really expect me to think you didn’t take her doll?”  
  
“Yes! Why won’t you believe me?” She said desperately, reaching for her doll.  
  
“You’ve been rebellious since you became a teenager. I understand some of that was you having to cover up being a slayer, but you’ve covered up so much from me that I don’t know how I can believe that you didn’t do something like that just to spite your sister when the two of you have squabbles all the time.”  
  
She felt tears welling up in her eyes, and felt herself starting to cry. “Mommy, don’t take her, please, don’t!"  
  
“I’ll deal with this later.” She murmured, and exited the bedroom door, closing it.  
  
Buffy scrambled to her feet. “Mommy!” She cried, and flung open the door, but there was no one on the other side of it. Her mother was gone.  
  
_Buffy bolted up from her bed, a strangled cry bursting out of her as she felt hot tears running down her face. Mommy was gone, and she wasn’t coming back. She clutched Laura to herself, letting her synthetic hair soak up her tears, and wailed out her feelings. It was only after a moment that she realized she’d wet the bed. She was cold and damp and hated the feeling, but her grief was paralyzing her. She couldn’t move. She could only cry.  
  
The sound of footsteps hurrying up the stairs drew her attention, and when she looked at her door, it opened up, to reveal Daddy’s worried face staring at her.  
  
She reached her hands out to him, desperate for comfort. “Da-a-addy!” She sobbed.  
  
Giles rushed in toward her, and pulled her into a warm embrace. “Did you have a bad dream, poppet?”  
  
Though she didn’t verbally respond through her tears, he felt her nod against him.  
  
“I’m sorry, lovey. I thought I would be done with everything I had to do before you woke up. Daddy’s sorry he wasn’t here to help make the bad dreams go away.” He said, gently.  
  
“I want Mommy!” She sobbed.  
  
Giles hugged her a bit tighter. “I know. I wish your Mommy was here too, pet. But I’m still here for you. I promise.”

For a few minutes, Giles held onto her, petting her hair and murmuring a stream of comforting words into her ear and pressing occasional kisses to her head. When it felt as though she’d cried herself out, Giles dared to pull away, and noticed that Buffy was avoiding his gaze. That never happened after a nightmare. Something else was the matter here.  
  
“Darling? What’s upsetting you?” He asked gently, rubbing her back as he waited for her response.  
  
“Mmmmmm…” She whined, and fidgeted with her hands, another sign that she was nervous. Why did Daddy have to pay such good attention?! “Had… Had an accident, Daddy.” She said, blushing furiously.  
  
A moment of surprise worked it’s way through Giles, before understanding settled in. “That’s alright, Poppet.” He said gently. “It’s been a hard day for you. Accidents happen. How about we get you cleaned up, eh?”  
  
Buffy dared to look up at him, albeit shyly. “Yes, p’ease, Daddy.  
  
“Wonderful.” He praised, and felt utter relief when a smile lit up his darling girl’s face at the praise. “Now, can you be a big girl and wash yourself off and get some new clothes on while Daddy takes things to the laundry room?”  
  
Sniffling, she nodded. “Uh-huh Daddy.”  
  
“Brilliant!” He smiled, and gave her a kiss in praise. “Now, hop to it, love. We have have a few more things to do today, I’m afraid.”  
  
Nodding solemnly, Buffy shuffled to the dresser to find some clothes to change into, before she headed to the bathroom to clean up.  
  
In the meanwhile, Giles stripped the bed, removing Buffy’s pacifier and doll from the entanglement and putting them on the nightstand, before he carried the bedding to the laundry room, putting the load in the washer, putting in detergent and fabric softener. He’d put it on once Buffy had changed. That done, he went back up to Buffy’s bedroom and saw the stain had gone through to the mattress. More than ready to remedy it, he got some spot remover from the cleaning cupboard, and sprayed it on the mattress to let it set, before he remembered that Buffy had gotten sick on the carpet earlier, and decided to spray that too. By the time that was done, he wet a washcloth and scrubbed at the mattress and carpet, before feeling that his work was done. After depositing the cloth in a hamper, he went back upstairs to find Buffy holding her sodden clothing, and went with her down to the laundry room to deposit them in the washer, and then letting it run.  
  
When that was done, she reached up for Giles again, and he carried her over to the kitchen table, settling her on his lap. He would have taken her to the living room, but it would have been too much to handle for the both of them if he’d tried to sit them on that couch. Buffy popped her thumb in her mouth, her pacifier having fallen out long before she woke, as she tried to focus on the steady beating of Daddy’s heart.  
  
“Poppet?” He asked gently.  
  
Buffy looked up at him, wide eyed, and scared as he’d ever seen. It put a lump in his throat to think of it.  
  
“Daddy needs your help making some decisions. Will you be Daddy’s special helper?” He asked, hoping to appeal to her sense of importance.  
  
Smiling a little, Buffy nodded from behind her thumb. She loved to help!  
  
“Now, It’s almost time to pick up your sister from school. Can you be a big girl long enough to tell her what happened? Or do you want Daddy to come with you?” He asked gently.  
  
He heard her let out a long whine and felt her clutch at his shirt. “Too hard t’ be a big girl t’day!” She moaned. “No’d Re’dy.”  
  
“I know, pet.” He said, gently. “But you have to do some big girl things today. It’s very important.”  
  
Buffy merely whined again, nearly on the verge of tears. It was all too much today!  
  
“How about Daddy makes you a deal, Poppet?” Giles said, gently.  
  
Buffy perked her head up at that. Usually when Daddy made deals she got lots out of it.  
  
“If you can be a big girl for a few hours today, Daddy will take care of you for the next few days. However much you want. Daddy knows it’s going to be a hard day for you, and your sister, and your friends, and he wants to make it as easy as he can, but you have to do some things too, Poppet. Your sister and your friends are going to need you. Can you be a big girl for me for a little while?” He asked gently.  
  
Buffy considered this. “Much as I want?”  
  
“Yes, lovey. As much as you want.” He promised.  
  
“M’kay, Daddy.” She nodded. “I’ll try.”

“Do you want Daddy to go with you when you talk to Dawn?” He asked gently.  
  
Buffy screwed up her face. He recognized the look as the one she wore when she was trying to pull herself out of her headspace.  
  
“I should go by myself."  
  
“That’s not the question. Do you _want_ me to come?” He asked.

“Yes, but I’m scared I’ll slip.” She said.  
  
“I’m more afraid of what would happen if you slipped without me there.” He explained patiently. “I don’t mind if you’d like me to wait in the car while you tell your sister. That way I’ll be there if you need me, and I can explain things to Dawn if you need me to.”  
  
She smiled a little in relief at that. “Yes, please.”  
  
“Now- do you want me to call your friends and let them know?” He asked gently. “I know you’ll probably have a hard time telling Dawn. I can take care of that if you need.”  
  
“I want them to know… But I don’t want them to know about little me, either. I don’t think anything bad would happen, I just… want to keep it secret. I like that it’s just you and me. Dawn knows, but… She’d never interfere. And mostly, I just want her to be okay. Even if I’m not.”  
  
“Buffy…” He said softly, and hugged her. “Your feelings are important too.”  
  
“I know. That’s why you’re here. But… Take your own advice. Yours matter too.”  
  
Giles chuckled. “I’m an Englishman. We deal with our emotions privately. But thank you, Buffy."  
  
Buffy kissed his cheek. “You’re welcome.” She smiled.  
  
“Alright, we best get be going.” He said. “Are you ready?”  
  
“Will I ever be?”  
  
“No.” He answered honestly.  
  
“Then let’s go.”  
  
She nodded. 

The drive to the school seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Time and all it’s trickery decided to make the drive so short, so that there wasn’t enough time to think.

Giles parked the car in a spot close to the door. “Do you want me to come with you?” He asked gently.  
  
“That’s okay.” She said. “I know you’re out here, and that helps."  
  
“I’ll be here if you feel like you can’t take it.”  
  
Buffy smiled sadly at him. “Thanks, Giles.”  
  
“You’re welcome.” He said, and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.  
  
With that, she got out of the car.  
  
The time Giles spent in the car was increasingly bothersome. Mainly because he didn’t know how to tell the rest of the Scoobies about Joyce. He debated who to call, and eventually settled on calling Willow. He knew, at least, that she would tell everyone else who mattered, and they could all meet at the morgue.  
  
He felt himself go on a kind of autopilot as he called her, telling her of Joyce’s sudden passing. A part of him that was very aware that it was a defense mechanism. If he let his emotions drive it, he’d cry again. And he couldn’t do that to Buffy or Dawn. Not when they needed him.  
  
He hadn’t registered that he’d hung up the phone until two minutes after it happened. A moment after that, he realized that he couldn’t recall a single word of his conversation with Willow. He might have considered it to be a witches’ spell, but the truth was, he knew better. His grief was manifesting in memory loss. He doubted he’d be able to recall any of this day, apart from the most horrific moments.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d sat there, just waiting in his bubble. But eventually, the school doors opened, and Buffy walked out, an arm around her crying sister. Giles felt something inside of him loosen at seeing them. Maybe this wouldn’t go as terribly as he’d feared.  
  
Dawn climbed into the backseat, and Buffy sat beside him. He felt an enormous sense of relief just having her sitting there with him. Whenever he was taking care of her he often grew nervous when she was out of his sight, and the circumstances they’d been through today had exacerbated that feeling to the point where he thought he might develop a stress ulcer if he couldn’t keep Buffy within his sights.  
  
The drive to the morgue was silent, and he was grateful for the quiet, however tense it was. It gave him time to think about how he would handle Buffy if she had a slip. He could play it off as a grief reaction, surely, but if she called him “Daddy” all bets were off. He didn’t know how he could make that one work. At that point, all he could do was hope for the best.  
  
When they arrived at the morgue, time seemed to suspend itself. People passed in and out of the waiting room, but none were for them. Nobody spoke, apart from when Giles informed the receptionist of their arrival. After that, they all seemed to be outside of the flow of time. It wasn’t until Anya, Xander, Willow, and Tara arrived that time seemed to restart itself. Hugs were given, as everyone seemed to pass through one another’s arms.

Giles kept watch over his young charge, eagle eyes trained on her. For the most part, she seemed to be fine, and so when he went with the coroner to look at the forms that would need Buffy’s signature, he felt it alright to leave her with her friends for the moment, even though his protective instincts screamed at him to stay with her.  
  
Still, he hurried through looking through the forms, and once he’d looked through them all, he was going to go give them to Buffy when he realized that she wasn’t with her friends, and nor was Dawn.  
  
It took a moment for the pieces to fall into place, before he understood where they must have been.  
  
Rushing toward the morgue itself, he saw Buffy kill a vampire with a knife, before she realized the sheet had come off of Joyce’s body, and Dawn was looking at her.  
  
Entering the morgue, he spoke gently. “Buffy?”  
  
She didn’t respond to him, watching Dawn as she reached out a hand to touch their mother. The second Dawn jerked her hand away, it was more than she could take. She felt her façade beginning to crack, and started to whimper and sob. Giles was quick to pull her into a hug, rubbing her back. Dawn, at that point, seemed too shocked to move.  
  
Giles had to formulate a plan quickly, lest everything turn to ashes more than it already had.  
  
Thinking quickly, he spoke. “Dawn?”  
  
It took a moment, but eventually she turned her head, glassy eyed.  
  
“We should take you both home so you can grieve privately.” He said, trying to be sensitive, yet firm as he could manage while struggling to keep Buffy upright.  
  
Something in his tone must have clued her in to what was happening, because she managed a nod.  
  
With Dawn understanding, he turned his attention to his charge, who was, for the moment, a wreck. He gathered her into a semi-cradling hold, and spoke to her in a gentle voice.  
  
“Poppet?” He said gently.  
  
It took a moment before she looked at him, the pain in her eyes so searing Giles was momentarily afraid that it could slice right through him like a skewer. When he recovered himself a moment later, he spoke again.  
  
“Let’s get you home, alright? Can you be a big girl long enough to say goodbye to your friends?”  
  
“M-Maybe, Daddy.”  
  
“Can you give it a try?”  
  
“U-Uh huh.” She nodded.  
  
“Alright. We’ll get you home very soon and Daddy will make whatever you like for dinner.”  
  
“Mac an’ cheese?”  
  
“With the smiley faces, like you like.”  
  
Finally, a smile was coaxed out of her, and she gave a little nod.

“Daddy? Up?” She asked, hoping to be cuddled.  
  
“Not yet, Lovey. When we get you home, Daddy will cuddle you as long as you like.”  
  
Amidst this, Dawn spoke up.  
  
“I think I might spend the night with Willow and Tara.” She said. “I don’t think I can handle going home right now. It’s too…” She paused. “I keep thinking she’ll be there but she won’t be.”  
  
Giles looked up at her. “Are you certain?”  
  
Dawn nodded. “I’ll be with friends.”  
  
Before she could walk away, Buffy reached out a hand and took her wrist, for a second, her adult self shining through in her eyes, as she spoke a silent apology to her sister for not being able to be stronger for her. Then, as soon as Dawn pulled away, Buffy seemed to revert to the childlike state Dawn had only heard tell about.  
  
When the morgue door closed, Buffy looked up at him. “Daddy?”  
  
“Yes, Poppet?”  
  
“Can I say ‘bye?” She asked.  
  
Giles nodded. “Of course you can.” He said gently. “Do you want Daddy to be in the room with you or would you like to do this by yourself?”  
  
“Myself, please.” She said softly.  
  
Giles nodded, and pressed a kiss to the back of her head. “I’ll be with your friends.” He said. She gave him a small, weary smile, and nodded.  
  
Then, Standing up, she made her way over to the body that once held her mother.  
  
She didn’t touch her as Dawn had, but rather, came to pay her respects. Looking at the shell of who her mother had once been had brought on a cacophony of memories, and she was grateful to this body, and the soul it had held, for all of the joy in her life.  
  
“Thank you.” She said to the body. “For kissing me goodbye before my first day of school. For hugging me when I was falling apart. For wiping my tears away. For always being on my side, even when I was wrong. When I was little, your hands guided me everywhere. But now, all I have left of you is the voice in my head to guide me to who I’m supposed to be. But I think that will be enough. I can’t bring you back. I know the consequences of that would be too awful to even think of. So I have to say goodbye instead. But bits and pieces of you are still there. You’ll be there in my smile, and in my laughter, like you always have been. You’re not here to hold my hand anymore… But I know you’ll always be the angel on my shoulder. I love you.” She said softly.  
  
Then, knowing her friends were waiting, she steeled herself, and tried to force her adult self to stay out until she got to the safe haven of Giles’ car.

Walking out of the morgue, she felt as though she were in a place that wasn’t quite right. She felt as though she was floating through the hall, propelled forward by some inexplicable force. She wasn’t there, but her body remained on the ground.  
  
When she got back to the lobby, the solemn faces of her friends greeted her. Dawn spoke up, her voice cutting through the haze that clouded her mind.  
  
“Willow and Tara said it was okay that I went to their house.” She said, her soft voice seeming too loud in the room that seemed to need quiet.  
  
Buffy nodded. “Okay. If you need anything, call.” She said, her voice sounding hollow.  
  
“I will.” Dawn said, with a small nod.  
  
She looked from Tara and Willow to Anya and Xander. “I really appreciate all of you guys coming to be here, but I think I’m just going to go home with Giles and try and figure out funeral arrangements."  
  
“Do you want us to come by later? We can bring dinner.” Xander asked.  
  
“That’s okay.” She said. “But thanks anyways. Maybe another time?”  
  
“Any time.” Xander said, and she knew he meant it.  
  
After another round of hugs, Giles escorted her to his car, and once both of the doors were shut Buffy stuffed her thumb into her mouth and started nursing it furiously and shaking. Seeing it from the corner of his eye, but unable to do much about it due to keeping his focus on the wheel and eyes on the road, he simply rubbed her arm as soothingly as he could.  
  
It seemed to calm her slightly, and that was something to be grateful for. She seemed to settle at his touch, no longer trembling as she had been. A few moments of quiet later, Buffy spoke.  
  
“Daddy?”  
  
Giles’ touch grew slightly firmer in order to tell her that he was paying attention. “Yes, poppet?”  
  
“Wha’d if I have another accident?”  
  
“Are you worried about it, Pet?” He asked softly.

Buffy squirmed a bit in her seat. He knew what that meant. He’d become adept at understanding her nonverbal cues. That one meant that she was embarrassed to tell him something. Gentling his tone, he spoke again.  
  
“Lovey? What’s bothering you?”  
  
It took a moment for her to speak up. Even so, she was barely audible.  
  
“I wan’…” She paused. But she couldn’t make herself say it.  
  
“Poppet?” He asked gently. “Talk to Daddy.” He coaxed.  
  
“I don’ wan’ ‘nother ac’ident, Daddy.” She said softly.  
  
It took him a few moments to arrive to the conclusion of what she meant.  
  
“Do you want Daddy to get you something for that?"  
  
Not daring look at him, she nodded slowly.

Sensing her hesitation, he spoke in the dreaded “Daddy Voice” that Buffy so loved to defy, except he used it in a way that made certain she understood he was serious.  
  
“Buffy.” He said, and she went ramrod straight at the sound. “You do not have to be embarrassed about anything you want or need from me today. You have endured more than enough hardship today. Please, let yourself win for once.”  
  
She contemplated that, wondering if she could allow it. Generally her own needs tended to come second to everyone else’s. But… Maybe today she could try and put her own needs first.  
  
“‘K-Kay.” She said softly, and swallowed. “I wan’… I wan’ to have snuggles… An’ cuddles. An’ I wan’…”  
  
“You want Daddy to treat you like a baby, don’t you?” He said, finishing her sentence.  
  
She nodded, embarrassed. “Yes P’ease, Daddy.  
  
“That’s all you had to say, darling girl. Daddy will take care of everything.” He assured her.  
  
Hearing that, Buffy relaxed. “We goin’ home still?”  
  
“Yes, Poppet.” He promised. “Right away.”  
  
As soon as they pulled into the driveway, She took off her seatbelt and reached for him.  
  
“Daddy carry?”  
  
“As soon as we get through the front door, Daddy will pick you up straight away.” He promised.  
  
Pouting a little, she nodded. She understood why. Keeping things as private as possible was the best way to ensure secrecy. Reluctantly, she pulled her thumb from her mouth before scurrying inside.  
  
Giles, meanwhile, went around to the trunk and pulled a few items from it into the carpet bag he kept there for these situations, before he hurried in after her. As expected, she was waiting next to the open door, arms outstretched to him. He shut the door, set down his back and plucked her from the floor onto his hip, as she settled her thumb into her mouth again.  
  
“Let’s get you dressed, Pet.” He said, taking her upstairs. Upon entering her bedroom, he replaced her thumb with a pacifier and gave her back her beloved doll. She clutched it to her chest, and felt a bit better already.  
  
“Do you want to pick out your clothes, Lovey?”  
  
She nodded, and reluctantly allowed herself to be put down, in order to get to her box in the back of the closet. From it, she pulled out a gaudy pink Silk dress covered in bows and lace, as well as a pair of frilly socks. They’d match well with her Mary Janes. They were totally garish, completely out of style. But they resembled the dresses from her scrapbooks from back when she really was that little. If she wanted the genuine feeling of back then, she had to dress the part.  
  
“Pretty as ever.” He promised. “Daddy has a surprise for you.”  
  
She perked up with the mention. “‘Pize?”  
  
“Yes. Wait right here.” He said, and went downstairs, before he came back up, holding a package in his hands. “I had prepared in case you asked for this.”  
  
She blushed but nodded gratefully. “Tanks."  
  
“Now, Daddy will start dinner while you get dressed.” He said, pecking her on the forehead. “Do you still want Macaroni and Cheese?”  
  
“Yes, p’ease.” She nodded.  
  
“Wonderful.” He said softly. “I’ll be just downstairs if you need anything.”  
  
She nodded, and Giles left to begin fixing dinner.  
  
He got a pot out of the cupboard, filled it with water, and began to boil it, getting out one of the boxes of smiley faced macaroni and cheese from the very back of the shelf. Before the water even began to bubble, a rustling of fabric caught his ear, and he turned to see a sight precious to him.  
  
Buffy stood in a puffy sleeved little girl’s dress, covered in pink, white frills, and bows, her hair in pigtails, looking for all the world like the little girl she so rarely got to be. He’d only seen her in one of her little girl outfits one time, and it had always been incredibly endearing. The last time he’d seen such a thing was when she’d had a particularly hard time after a fight with Joyce, and she’d been crying. It had been so easy for him to comfort her then. Words were easier when she looked as old as she felt. Now, he felt warmed at the sight. He was lucky to be able to witness what no one else would ever see.  
  
She reached her ams up to him. “Up?”  
  
“Of course, Poppet.” He smiled, and hoisted her onto his hip.  
  
Buffy rested her head on his shoulder, tired, and twisted her fingers into his shirt. The day had been long and exhausting, and she just wanted to have some time to not think about everything for a while. She twiddled the buttons on Daddy’s jacket while he poured the macaroni in the pot. After he set a timer to go off when it was ready, he looked at her.  
  
“What would you like to do, lovey?”  
  
Buffy hummed in consideration of that. After a moment, she spoke up. “C’n have b’anket?”  
  
“Spledid idea. Let’s get your blanket from upstairs, eh?” He said, and took her up to get it.  
  
When they reached the top of the stairs, he set her down while she went to her room to get the blanket, and decided to see if a bit of magic wouldn’t go awry to try and make Buffy weightless when he picked her up. He wondered for a brief moment if such a thing was selfish, before concluding that it would likely make her happy too, as he could care for her as a real child more easily.  
  
When she returned, he gave her a peck on the forehead. “Better?”  
  
She nodded.  
  
“Is it alright if Daddy uses a bit of magic to be able to carry you more easily? Daddy doesn’t want to have to put you down again unless it’s important.”  
  
She seemed a bit surprised by the request, but after a moment’s thought, nodded.  
  
He rolled up his sleeves and used a simple spell to make her lighter in his arms, before he picked her up with the ease of picking up a real babe.  
  
“Much better.” He smiled. “Now, what do you want to do while dinner is cooking, Poppet?”  
  
“Sit, Daddy.”  
  
“Alright, we can sit down for a bit.” He agreed, and went to the kitchen, settling her in his lap. She automatically wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. He started rubbing her back in response. “My petulant little Poppet isn’t coming out today, is she?” He said, rubbing her back.  
  
Buffy shook her head. “No, Daddy. I be good girl today."  
  
“You’re always a good girl, pet. You just don’t like to stay still for long and listen to Daddy.” He said. “It’s not a bad thing. Daddy’s very proud of how smart and creative you are. Daddy just wants to make sure you don’t hurt yourself or someone else. Because the most important thing to me is you. Do you understand, Poppet?”  
  
Buffy nodded into him. “I Un’ers’and, Daddy.” She said.

Quiet reigned for a few moments. Then: “Daddy?”  
  
“Yes, Pet?”  
  
“Wha’ happens if-“  
  
The sound of the timer cut off her question.  
  
“Just a moment, lovey. Daddy has to get dinner off the stove, and has to put you down. I don’t want you to get scalded, alright?”  
  
Closing her mouth, she nodded. She could wait. Hopefully.  
  
Giles moved to the kitchen, and took the pot from the burner, quickly switching off the stove. Getting a colander, he set it in the sink before pouring the pasta into it, attempting to avoid the cloud of steam it created because he hated when it fogged up his glasses. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen this time, and he set down the colander to wipe the steam from his glasses. Putting them back on, they were smudged, but not bad enough that he couldn’t see completely. Sighing, he put the macaroni back in the pot and went to stir in the cheese sauce. After a few minutes, when everything was combined, he took off his glasses again and tried to get rid of the smudges.  
  
It wasn’t until he heard a light sob that he whipped them back on.  
  
Buffy stood in front of him, eyes filled with tears, reaching out to him. “Daddy? Cuddles?” Came the small whimper.  
  
Giles didn’t even hesitate, Picking her up and holding her tightly to him. “What’s the matter, Lovey?”  
  
Buffy let out a sob. “Wha’d happens if you go ‘way like Mommy? Would you ev’r leabe me?”  
  
Giles felt his heart sink at the words. “I would never leave you, darling girl. And even if something happened to me, I could never leave you, because I’m always there with you. Even when I was in England, I was still there with you. I worried for you, loved you, and cared about you, even from all those miles away. I know the same is true for your Mummy. Wherever she is now, she’s still there with you. And no matter where I go, I will be there for you too.”

She wept quietly into his shoulder for a long while, before she eventually cried herself out and went limp against him.  
  
“Are you hungry, little one?” He asked gently, bouncing her slightly.  
  
After a moment, she nodded.  
  
“Daddy will feed you your dinner.” He said, and gave her a kiss.  
  
That made her smile a little, and she nodded.  
  
He put some of the macaroni and cheese into a bowl before sitting down at the table, moving her in his lap so that she could eat easily, before he began feeding her spoonfuls of the smiley faced pasta. He heard her begin to hum in contentment, a wonderful sound if he’d ever heard one. Like a heavenly choir singing praises after a horrible battle.  
  
He fed her easily, keeping his mind focused on the task at hand. He didn’t allow himself to dwell further on the question she’d asked of him, knowing that if he did he might break into pieces. And he couldn’t do that now. Not after all his little girl had been through today. As easy as it would have been to overthink, give into emotions, and let himself get worked up, it was a million times harder to keep calm and carry on. But life wasn’t made of easy choices, and sometimes the hardest task there was was to keep going, even in the face of tragedy. He knew it all too well. But then again, it was just a little bit easier because he was doing it for someone else.  
  
When Buffy had proclaimed herself full after eating half the bowl in front of her, he took the bowl away instead of having their usual battle to get her to finish her food. He didn’t dare fight her on something so trivial today. When that was done, he got himself a bowl and ate it with her in his lap, too exhausted from the days events to do much more. He ate a bowl, while Buffy twiddled with the buttons on his jacket and murmured to her doll.  
  
After he cleaned up dinner, he took her upstairs to her room, promising to play whatever game she wanted for a while. Normally he would have (and at many times had) objected to being made to play “Daddy Dress Up”, and had tried many times to get out of it, but today he relented. Whatever made her feel better was the most important thing. So, he let her dress him up however she wanted.  
  
“Don’t you think Daddy looks silly?” He’d asked her.  
  
“No!” She’d chirped. “Daddy pretty!”  
  
He hadn’t been able to argue with that. What he likely could have argued with was the use of butterfly hair clips in his hair, but chose not to. Hearing Buffy giggle in the sweet, earnest way she did when she was little was worth more than gold on a day like today. Whatever small happiness he could bring her, he’d give.  
  
It was for that reason that about half an hour later that he found himself wearing a pink tutu with multicolored butterfly clips in his hair.  
  
When he was ready, she’d clapped her hands and giggled with the exuberant glee that only a child could have, and rushed to hug him.  
  
“Daddy ready fo’ tea party!” She’d cheered.  
  
He’d smiled at that. It was perhaps the only little girl’s game he actually felt he knew about, and they’d played it together quite a bit.  
  
“Shall I make some tea for our party, Poppet?”  
  
“Yes, p’ease! I hafta get the guests!”  
  
“Oh? And who will be attending this evening?”  
  
“Me, Laura, Mr. Stuffykins, and you, Daddy!”  
  
“Sounds like lovely company.” He smiled, and meant it.  
  
It didn’t take long to prepare the tea, and he made certain it wasn’t piping hot- although he preferred it that way. There was a certain lack of motor skills that Buffy seemed to acquire when she dove into her headspace this way, and he didn’t want to take any chances with her safety. So whenever they had tea, he made certain it was warm, but not enough to scald her if she spilled.  
  
The tea party was an incredibly grand affair. Tea was had by all, along with lively conversation and gentle banter. Giles even pulled out a few chocolate snack cakes for dessert, and smiled when Buffy took one. At least her love of chocolate hadn’t been taken from her today. That was reassuring- perhaps one day they would all get used to a new normal. He cleared things away from the party when it was over, as Buffy played with Laura and Mr. Stuffykins nearby him on the floor.  
  
When everything was cleaned, Giles excused himself to get out of his “tea party attire” and went upstairs to take out the butterfly clips and get the tutu off of himself. Feeling far better after shedding the attire, he went back to Buffy, and found her sitting on the floor, blushing and avoiding his eye contact.  
  
That raised a red flag for him. Clearly she was embarrassed of something. What that something was, however, was yet to be determined.  
  
“Poppet?” He asked softly. “What’s the matter?”  
  
“Mmmmm…” She shifted in her seat, and he recalled their earlier discussion.  
  
“Remember, you can tell Daddy anything you want or need today.” He reminded gently.  
  
She seemed to remember it after he said it too, judging by the flash of recognition in her eyes. He heard her give a very strong suck to the pacifier that bobbed in her mouth, before she spoke up, not meeting his gaze.  
  
“Need… Need change, Daddy.”  
  
She braced herself for a backing out of the room, or for him to turn away, but instead, she found a hand being offered to her.  
  
“Let’s get you changed, lovey.” Daddy had said matter-of-factly, never once looking at her how she feared he would. Wordlessly, she took his hand and let him pull her up before he picked her up. “You’ll have to make certain you tell Daddy when you need a change from now on, alright?” He said gently.  
  
“‘K-Kay, Daddy.” She said, a little startled by his casual acceptance of the whole thing, but more than appreciative of it.  
  
It was a very strange experience to use a diaper. Humbling, certainly, and it made her feel incredibly vulnerable- something she typically couldn’t stand. But in a way, it was oddly freeing. Being able to use one was the ultimate feeling of babyishness. A kind of dependence she wasn’t permitted to have as a slayer, and one she deeply cherished because of the implications it held. That someone would always be there to take care of her and change her if she needed it. She needed that reassurance now more than ever.  
  
Daddy took her to her room and had her lay on the floor while she waited for him to start the change, feeling just about as vulnerable as she could ever feel. And when the change started, she closed her eyes in embarrassment.  
  
But Daddy didn’t seem embarrassed about it at all. He talked to her very calmly through it all, discussing what she might like to do for the rest of the evening. There was of course the option of playtime, or having some more cuddles, and still yet a chance for some story time. All of it gave Buffy something to consider during the change- which had been Giles’ plan from the beginning. He’d been prepared for this moment for a very long time, and in the event that it were to happen, he knew how to best distract her so that she wouldn’t think about everything else too much. Much to Buffy’s relief, it was over quickly, and she could breathe a little easier then.  
  
Giles gave her a peck on the forehead. “Pretty as a princess.” He said, before going to clean up from the change.  
  
It gave Buffy a few minutes to think on the options Daddy had provided, and they all sounded good, but they weren’t quite right.  
  
When he returned, he picked her up. “What would you like to do, lovey?”  
  
She took the pacifier from her mouth. “I go in Mommy’s room.”  
  
Giles was a bit surprised by that. “What would you like to do there?”  
  
“Daddy see.” She said, and waddled toward her mother’s room.  
  
Giles waited there, and Buffy returned with a pillowcase. Coming back to her own room, she put it over her pillow, then laid down and took a deep breath, sighing happily.  
  
Giles smiled, albeit sadly, at the thoughtful gesture, and touched her shoulder. “Brilliant idea, poppet.”  
  
She reached for him. “Snuggles, Daddy?”  
  
He nodded. “Of course.” And laid next to her.  
  
She snuggled up to him immediately, and looked at him. “Daddy sing me till I go to sleep?"  
  
He pecked her on the forehead. “Of course."  
  
“Stay all night?"  
  
“Whatever you need, Poppet.” He promised.  
  
She gave him a gentle smile, and nodded for him to continue.  
  
Then, he began to sing.  
  
  
“London Bridge is falling down,

Falling down, falling down,

London Bridge is falling down,

My fair Lady.  
  


Build it up with wood and clay,

Wood and clay, wood and clay,

Build it up with wood and clay,

My fair Lady.  
  
  
Wood and clay will wash away,

Wash away, wash away,

Wood and clay will wash away,

My fair Lady.  
  


Build it up with bricks and mortar,

Bricks and mortar, bricks and mortar,

Build it up with bricks and mortar,

My fair Lady.  
  
  
Bricks and mortar will not stay,

Will not stay, will not stay,

Bricks and mortar will not stay,

My fair Lady.  
  


Build it up with iron and steel,

Iron and steel, iron and steel,

Build it up with iron and steel,

My fair Lady.  
  
  
Iron and steel will bend and bow,

Bend and bow, bend and bow,

Iron and steel will bend and bow,

My fair Lady.  
  


Build it up with silver and gold,

Silver and gold, silver and gold,

Build it up with silver and gold,

My fair Lady.

Silver and gold will be stolen away,

Stolen away, stolen away,

Silver and gold will be stolen away,

My fair Lady.”  
  
Gradually, her suckling on her pacifier slowed. Giles smiled, noticing toward the end of the song that she seemed nearly asleep, and kissed her forehead in response.  
  
Buffy sighed happily. Mommy’s scent was so soothing, and Daddy’s song was making her sleepy. Daddy’s arms were holding her close, and it gave her hope. Mommy’s arms might not have been there to hold her anymore, but Daddy’s were still there. And they would be enough to help her get through whatever life threw at her.  
  
She nestled into Daddy, and fell asleep, happy at last in his arms.


End file.
